Caernarfon to Aberystwth - Monday 27th June 2011 - Day 52
We left the Victoria Dock marina at 07.00 with three other yachts and proceeded down the Straits in sunny, light air conditions and found our way past the sand banks which took an hour to the open sea.
The breeze began to pick up and hoisted full sail at 08.30 and left it to the auto-helm (popeye).
We began reefing the main with the 2nd one in by 11.00 as we shortened sail.
There is an inside passage at Bardsley Island but on our arrival the tidal conditions were not suitable with a race going through the narrows. We passed outside of the island with the lighthouse 1 3/4 miles off to port. Once round the corner at noon, the wind was now coming from behind, so dropped the main and ran with the full genoa alone. We ran like this for six hours maintaining a good speed and were off the piers by 18.00. The entrance to Aberystwth with the on shore wind and swell made it difficult but once inside you take a sharp turn to port and into the river which is very shallow in parts and we were alongside the No.67 pontoon at 18.45. Travelled 60 miles in under twelve hours from berth to berth at an average of 5.2 knots, a very good passage.
Ashore to Weatherspoon's for a meal and then the Varsity pub on the way back we got lost and asked some students the way to the marina. They gave us the wrong directions so we arrived back after midnight cold and tired.
No comments:
Post a Comment